Prison time ordered in drug-related shooting

A Jefferson City man has been sentenced to 120 days in prison in connection with a drug-related shooting that occurred Jan.
by the News Tribune; news@newstribune.com
Sep. 12 2019 @ 12:05am

A Jefferson City man has been sentenced to 120 days in prison in connection with a drug-related shooting that occurred Jan. 30, 2018, in Jefferson City.

Michael Zellman, 31, pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and unlawful possession of a firearm during a hearing before Cole County Senior Judge Richard Callahan this week.

Charges of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon were dismissed by prosecutors.

Earlier, Travion Williams, 19, of Jefferson City, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree robbery in this case and was placed on five years of supervised probation. Benjamin Travis, 30, of Jefferson City, pleaded guilty to delivery of a controlled substance and was placed on three years of supervised probation.

The shooting occurred in the 1300 block of West McCarty Street, according to a Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statement.

A man suffering from two gunshot wounds was found in a vehicle officers stopped as it was driving away from the shooting scene.

Officers followed up on calls from area witnesses who had seen a man running between houses in the 1200 block of West McCarty Street around the time of the shooting. While canvasing the area, officers found a loaded .32-caliber firearm and a jar containing 91 grams of marijuana hidden in a storm drain pipe.

The shooting victim told police he and some friends had planned to purchase marijuana from Travis and he was shot during the transaction.

A search of Travis' apartment discovered narcotic packaging material and a scale.

Investigators spoke with witnesses who had been at the shooting, who said the jar belonged to Travis and it was common knowledge he regularly sells marijuana. One witness allowed officers to search a cellphone, on which text messages sent by Travis talking about drug transactions were found.

A juvenile who was at the shooting told authorities he, along with Williams and two others, had planned to rob the shooting victim for marijuana. The juvenile said Williams pulled out a gun and pointed it at the victim, then took the marijuana and fled the residence once the gun was fired by Zellmann.

The shooting victim and a witness identified Williams as having been at the residence that evening and threatening them before shots were fired.